Constricting means for tubular garments



pli 27, i94:3 -J. F. HOLLAND ETAL f 2,337,768 l y CONSTRICTING MEANS FOR TUBULAR GARMENTS I Filed Nov. 3o, 1959 INVE'NToRs JAMES F. HOLLAND Patented Apr. 27, 1943 T OFFICE CNSTRICTING MEANS FOR TUBULAR GARMENTS James F. Holland, Toledo, and John W. Kinney, Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio Application November` 30, 1939, Serial No. 306,912

2 Claims.

This invention relates to garments and more particularly to an improvement in the method of constricting portions of tubular garments.

An object of the invention is to provide simple yet effective means for gathering the outer or free portion of a tubular garment snugly and neatly around the limb of the wearer.

A further object of the invention is to provide fastening means for gathering the end portion of a tubular garment which fastening means may be associated with the garment without necessitating cutting or mutilating of the garment.

Another object of the invention is to provide gathering means for a tubular limb covering garment which may be worn in a fully open, ungathered manner, or in a gathered condition in which the cross sectional area of the garment is progressively reduced toward the free end thereof.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide gathering means for a pant or overall leg which when in a constricted or closed condition provides a padding of material over the shin of the wearer.

These and other objects of the invention are attained bythe means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a conventional continuous tubular overall leg.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the overall leg of Fig. 1 embodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the overall leg of Fig. 2 in a fully closed or constricted condition.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the overall leg of Fig. 1 equipped with a modified form of constricting means.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 4 when .in a fully closed or constricted position.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8--8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a front rear elevation of the inner side of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of a tubular garment v embodying a modification of the present invention in the process of being fabricated.

Figs. l1 and 12 are sectional views taken on line |l|| of Fig. 10 showing alternate methods of securing panel portions 4I and fastening means 26 to front panel 2|.

Fig. 13 is a side elevational view of a so-called 55 army trouser leg embodying the present invention.

Heretofore it has not only been the custom, but a rigidly enforced rule with railroads, utilities, construction firms, and the like, to require that the outer or free end or cuff portion of the limb covering garments worn by the workmen be securely and snugly fastened to their limbs to eliminate the chance of accidents caused by loose ends.

10 Loose flapping cuffs are outlawed because of the likelihood of becoming caught in the machinery and the like. In the past, it has been Widespread practice among the overall wearing employees to resort to ropes, rubber bands, `wire clasps and 15 such means to eliminate loose napping cuffs and to secure the lower leg portions around their limbs.

The present invention is directed, among other things, to a method of providing a tuck in the free end of a continuous tubular limb covering garment, which tuck may be opened or closed by the wearer of the garment by manipulating a slide fastener device. v Y y With reference to the drawing, the present invention is illustrated as applied to a tubular limb covering garment such as a trouser or overall leg indicated generally by the numeral 29. Each leg may comprise a front panel 2| and a rear panel 22, joined by a row of stitching 23, as shown.

If desired, the free outer or cuff edge 24 may be suitably reinforced by an inturned bead or fold 25, Fig. 9, secured by a row of stitching |25. The front panel 2| of a standard or conventional tubular limb covering garment or leg 20, Fig. 1,

is adapted to be provided with suitable fastener each comprising a textile edge 21 which carries a plurality of interlocking toothed fastener units denoted generally by the numeral 28.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the closure means 26 is secured to the front leg panel 2l by locating textile edge 21 infold 29 formed by turning back the material comprising the front panel, upon itself and securing it by a row or rows of stitching 30, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 9, the legs'lil and |ll| comprising the slide fastener, may be secured to front panel 2| in the form of an inverted V with each leg' converging upwardly from the free edge or cuff 24 adjacent stitching 23 to a common apex 3|, which is preferably located at or below It should be noted, Figs. 5 and 9, that front.

panel 2| is not cut or in any way mutilated in order to secure the slide fastener or closure means thereto. It should likewise be observed that the over-all width of leg isnot ,appreciably diminished or lessened by reason rof securing closure means thereto, whereby the diameter of the tubular leg portion, Fig. 2, will readily permit the passage of the shoe and leg of a wearer.

When Vin use, the garment 'may 'be worn'with the closure means fully opened, Fig. 2, in which `event the tubular leg portion issubstantially uniform .in diameter throughout and functions like .and 'has the Vgeneral -iappearan'ce of a standard pantforoveralllleg. YHoweveryif .desired the garment maybe worn with .the fastener or :closure -meansclosedin which event the lower portion of the leg Yis adapted to be :neatly zand securely` :gathered or contracted, yas shown in Fig. `3. It 'should beinotedthat the diameter ofthe tubular 'legiportioniis progressively'reduced from a min- :imum'at'apexl V,toa maximum at free'edge 24 when the legs vfof the rclosure or'fastening means are interlocked'as inrFig, 3.

With reference to Fig."7, Ait Iis seen that the material disposed within the converging fastener :legs |00 Yand |`0| ,is :neatly .tucked in, as at 35 4on the iinner side of the restricted tubular leg .portion and ,thatthere :are :no overhanging porztions extending beyond the outer perimeter thereof.

This 4tuck fof material 4provides a padding over the shin of the wearer. ISuchpadding is highly desirable 1in -those instances where vthe constricted leg 'bottom is laced'in the vinside of boots, since it eiectivelyfeliminates uany discomfort which may otherwise exist'by reason of ithe closure means "contacting the `shins of the wearer. In those instances where boots arenot worn, the .gathered or `constricted leg bottom,

maybe brought down over 'the shoe top of the wearer to prevent foreign material from entering the shoe via the shoe top.

,The effect of closing `the fastener means 12B `results 'in progressively drawing the back panel '2-2 around the `leg of the wearer, :as disclosed in YFig.3, wherein -the Vadjacent edges of the .back .panelware -almost in physical contact `at the :open end :24. It should be observed that there areno -looseen'ds hanging erprojecting from the outer perimeter-ef 'the constricted leg portion, and `that the closurefmeans is likewise disposed flat in the plane of said peri-meter whereby no part of the garment can catch Yon objects or machinery.

A modified .method of 'securing Ythe clasp fasteners -to the f-ront panel portion 2| is disclosed in Figs. 4, 57, fand l8, in which the textile edge 2`| -of .each -closure .member leg is secured directly to the outer surface of front panel 2| by `means 'of a row of stitching 36,

larger than opening 40, is adapted to be secured to front panel 2| to provide a continuous leg portion. The raw or outer edge 42, of panel piece 4|, is turned under to provide fold M, and raw edge 45 of central opening 4|) is turned back to provide fold 46. The textile edge 21 of the fastening means 26 may be secured between folds Mand 46 by means of one or more rows of stitching 41, as shown in Fig. l1.

If desired, the inturned raw edges d2 and 45 of panel piece 4| and front panel 2| respectively, may be interlocked, as illustrated in Fig. l2, with the textile edge 21 of the closure means secured between the outer face of panel piece 4| and the `inturned edge of frontl panel 2| by means of stitching '48, as shown. The lower edge 159 of panel piece 4| may be turned back and secured by `stitching 50, Yas shown.

Cab

'.the like.

In those instances where it is desirable to progressively constrict the tubular leg portion of a garment; and then uniformly restrict the tubujlarportion for anadditional distance, as for example in iknee breeches, army trousers and the like, the structure shown in Fig, 13 may be used.

As illustrated, closure means |26 may be secured Vto the front, or side portions of the leg with the two halves Yltlll and diverging outwardly from apex 3| and then extending downwardly at substantial right angles to free edge 24. The closure structure may be secured to the leg by anyof the methods hereinabove disclosed. Y

The trousers so equipped may be worn with the closure means |26 open (Fig. 13) or closed. When closed, the vertical portion |02 of the closure member halves Iil and lill provides a tubular, uniform leg engaging member adapted to neatly hug the leg of the wearer. Trousers of the type shown are ideally adapted for use 'with leggings and the like.

.invention vprovides in a continuous tubular garment gathering means which may be worn open or closed, and which when closed will neatly and snugly hug the `limb of the wearer without any part -of the garment or the fastening means extending, protruding, or being disposed outwardly of the smooth outer perimeter of the gathered or constricted portion. The invention not only eliminates the presence of any and all loose ends which could catch in or on machinery and the like, but it also provides a pad or cushion member over the shin of the wearer.

By reason of the fact that a continuous trouser leg is provided there is no opening presented into or through which foreign `material such as dirt, water, 'seeds and the like, may enter into the interior of the tubular leg portion. This feature is of particular importance to farmers, soliders, utility workmen, railroad men and all those whose jobs involve contact with dust, water, and the like.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the yclosure means is disposed in the front `panel of a pant leg in order to facilitate ease and convenience of operation, and in order to locate the material disposed between the convergent closure member legs, when said members are closed,

over the shin of the wearer.

While the invention disclosed herein is shown embodied in the leg of a pair of pants or overalls, the present invention is not limited to application to the leg portion of garments Abut may be applied to sleeves of shirts, raincoats and It is particularly adapted for application to army trousers, skiing pants and the like where it is desirable to Wear the garments in a closed, gathered manner for action and in an open manner for dress.

It should be understood that certain modifications and changes may be made in the structural details, Within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a garment, a contractable tubular portion for covering an extremity of the human body, said tubular portion in its normal uncontracted form having a full tubular and substantially uniformly Wide free end, two lines of fold formed in the tubular portion, each consisting of reverse folds in the material of the garment spaced along the major portion of their length but convergent throughout at least a portion of the length of the tubular portion, with the point of convergency located at a distance from the tubular free end, a pair of slide fastener tapes carrying cooperative hooks and a slide to engage and disengage the hooks, for contracting the tubular portion to snugly embrace the human extremity, means xing the tapes between adjacent laps of the reverse folds, leaving intact the continuity of the garment material at both sides of each line of fold, with an area of continuous material spanning said fold lines and fastener tapes.

2. In a garment, a oontractable tubular portion for covering an extremity of the human body, said tubular portion in its normal uncontracted form having a full tubular and substantially uniformly wide free end, two lines of fold formed in the material of the garment in the tubular portion, each consisting of reverse folds in the material spaced along the major portion of their length but convergent throughout at least a portion of the length of the tubular portion, with the point of convergency located at a distance from the tubular free end, a pair of slide fastener tapes carrying cooperative hooks along longitudinal edges thereof and a slide to engage and disengage the hooks, for contracting the tubular portion to snugly embrace the human extremity, means xing the tapes between adjacent laps of the reverse folds with disposition of the slide fastener hooks to opposing relationship in the normal uncontracted condition of the tubular portion, leaving intact the continuity of the garment material at both sides of each line of fold, with an area of continuous uncut material integral With and spanning said fold lines and underlying the fastening tape hooks.

- J'AMES F. HOLLAND. JOHN W. KINNEY, J a. 

